Howdy Folks today we talk with David Hankins, a prolific award winning author who has been featured in dozens of magazines and anthologies, as well as creating the Grimsworld Series. We talk about David’s inspirations for his works, which tend to be lighthearted fantasy and sci-fi tales. Dive in and discover how the headaches and humor of bureaucratic mismanagement inspired David to write a series. David is also featured in every installment of The Unhelpful Encyclopedia Series and we discuss inspirations for his stories, and how audiobook and artistic interpretations deepen the storytelling experience. 

Thanks a ton for the Interview David!

Murderfish Kickstarter: 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mikejackstoumbos/murderfish-a-wonderbird-press-anthology

Unhelpful Encyclopedia Audible Links: 

MurderBirds

MurderBugs

David’s Links: 

Website: https://davidhankins.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/DavidHankins.Author

IG: https://www.instagram.com/_davidhankins/

DreamForge Article “Writing Resilience”: https://dreamforgemagazine.com/story/writing-resilience/

“A Properly Spiced Gingerbread”: https://www.castofwonders.org/2024/12/cast-of-wonders-619-a-properly-spiced-gingerbread/

Books Links:

How to Write a Howling Good Story: https://books2read.com/howlinggoodstory

Kickstarter for Authors: https://amzn.to/45NATr7

Anthologies mentioned (Unhelpful Encyclopedia, Writers of the Future, etc.) available at https://davidhankins.com)

Award-winning illustrator Sarah Morrison: https://sarahmorrisonillustration.com/

WindyCon 7-9 Nov (Chicago): https://www.windycon.org/

QuadCon 7 Sept (Dubuque): https://quadcitycon.com/

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

https://www.fiverr.com/s/669Rvb

Music Credits: 

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Howdy Folks today we talk with Michael La Ronn, a prolific sci-fi and fantasy writer, youtuber, and owner of Author Level Up. We talk about Michael’s experience with the Murderfish Anthology, how he found his writing style, and how he became the writer he is today. We discuss the differences between writing to teach, and writing to entertain. Dive in, and hear how authenticity, passion, spontaneity, and a can-do attitude have been core tenants in Michael’s writing journey. 

Michael’s Links: 

Author Level Up - 

https://authorlevelup.com/

www.authorlevelup.com/pantsing

Social Media and YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@AuthorLevelUp/videos

https://www.facebook.com/authorlevelup

https://x.com/michaellaronn

The Good Necromancer

www.michaellaronn.com/thegoodnecromancer

Michael’s Podcast

www.selfpublishingadvice.org

Events

https://atlantawritersclub.org/

www.superstarswritingseminar.com

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

https://www.fiverr.com/s/669Rvb

Music Credits: 

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Howdy Listeners, we have another author interview for you! Today we talk to Jake Stein, a prolific fiction short story writer who’s had quite a few publications in the past years. We dive into Jake’s inspirations, his approach to writing, and how sometimes the hard hitting stories don’t explode, but burn slowly.  Jake’s writing has also been brought to the audio space on a handful of podcasts, including this one! Thanks Jake for coming on the show and sharing your approach to writing, and how to persist in the short story writing space. 

“Real Food” Episode of CRB - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-food-jake-stein-murderfish-kickstarter/id1717470807?i=1000708997378

Murderfish Kickstarter: 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mikejackstoumbos/murderfish-a-wonderbird-press-anthology

Unhelpful Encyclopedia Audible Links: 

MurderBirds

MurderFish

Jake’s Links: 

https://bsky.app/profile/jakeiswriting.bsky.social

https://storiesbystein.wordpress.com/

https://storiesbystein.substack.com/

WorldCon Seattle 2025

https://seattlein2025.org/

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

Music Credits: 

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Howdy Listeners, today we dive into one of Connor’s favorite H.P. Lovecraft Stories - The Rats in the Walls. A story of an older man who’s knowledge of his family’s past is Dubious at best, that is until his son is shipped off to fight the great war, and comes back with knowledge of their ancestral home - Exam Priory. Our protagonist moves to the priory, learning of its troubled past, and is at once haunted by the ghosts of the isolated castle. 

Content Warnings: 

Gore, 

Rats,

Violence, 

Coarse Language, 

Horrors Beyond Comprehension

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

https://www.fiverr.com/s/669Rvb

Music Credits: 

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Howdy Listeners, we have another author interview for you! Today we talk to Marissa McNamara, a fantasy and sci-fi writer based in Brisbane, Australia. We talk about how she got into writing, her process, her perspective, and her plans for the future! In celebration of the Murderfish kickstarter, we are going to be interviewing some of the authors that have contributed to Anthology. Thanks for being the first Marissa!!

Marissa’s Links: 

https://mmcnamarabooks.com/

https://mmcnamarabooks.com/?page_id=34

https://www.instagram.com/m_mcnamara_books/

Welcome to the Fantasy Fair: https://www.thepinkhydra.com/issues/0102202408/fantasyfair/

The Pink Hydra: https://www.thepinkhydra.com/issues/0102202408/

The Furious Gazelle: https://thefuriousgazelle.com/2024/10/31/2024-halloween-contest-winner-the-haunted-library-by-m-mcnamara/#more-3291

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

Music Credits: 

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Get your feet wet with this preview story from "Murderfish," the third installment of the Unhelpful Encyclopedia series, from WonderBird Press. "Real Food," by Jake Stein, is the sci-fi tale of a vegan chef brought to the Earth office of a powerful businessman—with a chilling request.

“Murderfish” is still in its kickstarter phase and is looking for more backers! So if you liked this short story, and want to reel in some more great aquatic tales, head over to the kickstarter and help make this book possible.

Murderfish Kickstarter Links: 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mikejackstoumbos/murderfish-a-wonderbird-press-anthology

Unhelpful Encyclopedia Prior Volumes:

Volume 1 - Murderbirds: An Avian Anthology

Volume 2 - Murderbugs: An Arthropod Anthology

Other Unhelpful Encyclopedia CRB Episodes: 

Episode 8: “Polly Want an Apple” - Mike Jack Stoumbous

Episode 17: “Fangs Out” - Victoria Dixon

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

https://www.fiverr.com/s/669Rvb

Music Credits: 

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Connor Reads Books is returning for its 2025 season! Today we are kicking it off with “Fangs Out” , a short story from the book Murderbugs. 

Fangs Out: 

Private detective A. Sin, the assassin bug, is hired to investigate disturbances around the Portmanteau, an apartment building on the nice side of the yard. What comes next is an intricate web to untangle, with prominent bugs caught up in the plot. Will our anthropoid sleuth crack the case, or will the portmanteau be his final resting place?

Murderbugs is part 2 of the “Unhelpful Encyclopedia” anthology series published by Wonderbird Press. It is a crowdfunded collaboration of talented storyteller’s weaving daring stories of fantasy, danger, and fiction, all coming together to honor the theme of the book - which in this case, is bugs.

Listen to the Full Episode Here:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connor-reads-books/id1717470807

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1GpcirNgVdYm12QcAsLDGY

Content Warnings: 

Arachniphobia

Murder

Bites

Exsanguination 

Restrained/ Bound

Victoria’s Links: 

FB https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaLDixon/

Website https://www.victorialeadixon.com

Murderbugs Links

Audiobook on Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Murderbugs-Audiobook/B0DGB4TGY7

Audiobook on Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/murderbugs-an-arthropod-anthology-unhelpful/id1767078861

Buy the Text Version: https://www.amazon.com/Murderbugs-Arthropod-Anthology-Unhelpful-Encyclopedia-ebook/dp/B0D2RQPYGH

Wonderbird Press:

https://www.patreon.com/WonderBirdPress

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

https://www.fiverr.com/s/669Rvb

Music Credits: 

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

We are going to close this year out with our conversation with Rebecca E. Treasure, a Prolific Sci-fi Author and Editor at Apex Magazine! We talk about how Rebecca's travels have impacted her writing, the accomplishments she’s made, and the lessons she’s learned in her time as an editor and violin instructor. Join us for this interview and listen to the tips, tricks, and tid bits of advice that Rebecca has for us. Oh - we also talk a little about Lord of the Rings!

Rebecca’s Links: 

https://linktr.ee/rebeccaetreasure

https://rebeccaetreasure.com/

Upcoming Snap Judgment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxIHNwEkgnU

My passion project (it didn't come up, but what the heck!): www.patreon.com/crepuscularmagazine

Apex: www.apex-magazine.com

Apex Books: www.apexbookcompany.com

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

https://www.fiverr.com/s/669Rvb

Music Credits: 

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays - or at least they would be if Santa wasn’t on the verge of bankruptcy! With the north pole in dire straits, and receiving an alluring lead that could save the workshop, Santa has no choice but to assemble the finest crew in both of the poles. Their target: one of Scrooge’s tankers filled to the brim with cutting edge technology. Join in on the holiday mischief and mayhem in Connor Reads Books’ 2024 Christmas Special!

Content Warnings: 

Coarse Language

Violence

Naughty Santa

Brutality (brief)

“Ocean’s Twleve Days of Christmas”

Written by: 

Connor McGeverly, Isaac Andrews, and Alex Beadles

Voice Actors: 

Lou Fox as the Narrator and Cutsie

Isaac Andrews as Frosty and Rudolph

Alex Beadles as Nethacker and Liam

Connor McGeverly as Santa, Sneed, elf commando, and the officers

Voice Over Links:

Connor’s Links

https://www.lconnorvoice.com/

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

Lou’s Links

https://x.com/BardCommander?t=IJjgVxpZ-qqnOeZC0kBXLw&s=09

https://youtu.be/Q1O-1CnU9sk?si=SkVWjh1ZsT6sGsx5

https://youtu.be/JYCHC79iipE?si=mkhWTYe4SKsAzRJf

Isaac’s Links

Email: [email protected]

https://www.instagram.com/isaacand/

Mixing and Mastering Credits

Louie Sanders; Soundmonk Studios - https://www.soundmonkstudios.com/

https://www.instagram.com/soundmonkstudios/

Music Credits: 

“Holiday Heist”; Two Guys from Work - https://open.spotify.com/artist/5gZ8DcdkLSYTEpnz3JjSC1?si=tVvDgoIdTZeEzLQ4yZip9w

Connor Reads Books Main Theme “Medieval Master” Louie Sanders, Soundmonk Studios

Howdy Listeners, we have another superb interview for you! In this episode we talk to Mike Jack Stoumbous, a first place winner of the 2021 Writers of the Future Contest, and founder of the publishing company Wonderbird Press. We talk about what got Mike into writing, how he approaches any creative process he engages in, as well as some of the finer details of self publishing and crowd-sourcing funds for books and authors. We unpack some of the thinking and process of creating the Murderbirds and Murderbugs Anthologies. Thanks Mike for the interview, for being a great client, and for supporting other storytellers and creatives! 

Mike Jack Stoumbous’s Links: 

https://www.mikejackstoumbos.com/about

https://www.mikejackstoumbos.com/wonderbird-press

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mike-Jack-Stoumbos/author/B01MXI8G2X?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

https://www.facebook.com/MikeJackStoumbos

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPpY0RHOUXNk-YkZZ6PElog

https://www.instagram.com/sirmikejack 

https://www.superstarswriting.com/

https://apex-writers.com/

Voice Over, Mixing and Mastering Credits:

L. Connor Voice - Website

https://www.instagram.com/l.connorvoice/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095473899665

https://www.fiverr.com/s/669Rvb

Music Credits: 

Louie Sanders, https://www.instagram.com/soundmonksound/